How To Ask Ebay To Step In

[momofgreatdogs]

I have received a return request and I can't figure out how to ask Ebay to step in. When I click on that option it just takes me in circles. 

I haven't sold in several years but recently sold some things out of my home and closet. I have a weird buyer whose bid I should have cancelled after I saw what ugly feedback she gives sellers. Some of the feedback is marked positive but the words in it are negative. Anyway, she's trying to send back a nasty, ratty wig claiming it's the one she bought from me. I've never had a negative feedback in all the years I've sold on ebay, and I've sold about $8000 of stuff over the years. She posted a picture in her return request that is nothing like the item I sent her, so I want to dispute it because if she returns anything to me at all it's not going to be my nice wig but that nasty thing in the picture.

How do I go about it? It said something like I had to try and work it out for 3 days, so does that mean I have to wait for 3 days to ask them to step in? It's not so much the money as the principle of it. She left me ugly feedback claiming I was a liar for saying I only had the wig on 3 times (which is true, and all my other feedback for wigs I've sold prove that my buyers were very happy with them).  From now on I'll listen to my gut when I see the type of feedback a buyer generally gives. I could tell she was a mean, hard to satisfy person. 

I don't even care much that she left me bad feedback because I don't have anything else I want to sell and I know the feedback will drop off in a year, and I doubt I'll want to sell anything between now and then. It just sucks that ebay allows people to get away with swapping merchandise and with assaulting the character of an honest seller.

Thanks!

[pburn]

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@momofgreatdogs wrote:

It said something like I had to try and work it out for 3 days, so does that mean I have to wait for 3 days to ask them to step in? 

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Yes. Well, as early as possible on the fourth day, actually.

That being said, it's better for you to accept the return than to ask eBay to step in. They expect you to work it out with the buyer. When the buyer returns the item, you can call and appeal that the buyer did not return the  same item. Worth a shot, anyway.

[kensgiftshop]

If buyer has filed an INAD, not much you can do but accept the return and pay for return shipping.

If they do send back a different item, you can report the buyer and file a mail fraud claim with USPS.

If you wait and have Ebay step in, you'll probably loose the money and item and get a ding on your account for not handling the return yourself.

Sellers have very little protection against fraud returns.

[ed8108]

You can telephone ebay customer service likely you will probably be advised it is in your best interest to Accept the return.

[goodluckselling]

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@momofgreatdogs wrote:

I have received a return request and I can't figure out how to ask Ebay to step in. When I click on that option it just takes me in circles. 

I haven't sold in several years but recently sold some things out of my home and closet. I have a weird buyer whose bid I should have cancelled after I saw what ugly feedback she gives sellers. Some of the feedback is marked positive but the words in it are negative. Anyway, she's trying to send back a nasty, ratty wig claiming it's the one she bought from me. I've never had a negative feedback in all the years I've sold on ebay, and I've sold about $8000 of stuff over the years. She posted a picture in her return request that is nothing like the item I sent her, so I want to dispute it because if she returns anything to me at all it's not going to be my nice wig but that nasty thing in the picture.

How do I go about it? It said something like I had to try and work it out for 3 days, so does that mean I have to wait for 3 days to ask them to step in? It's not so much the money as the principle of it. She left me ugly feedback claiming I was a liar for saying I only had the wig on 3 times (which is true, and all my other feedback for wigs I've sold prove that my buyers were very happy with them).  From now on I'll listen to my gut when I see the type of feedback a buyer generally gives. I could tell she was a mean, hard to satisfy person. 

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Yes I think that options is not available to you until a time frame has passed.  It probably is 3 days but I am not sure?  You can also call in and speak to a rep if you want to escalate, but chances as other have said is that eBay will consider your escalation as a sign that you do not want the item back and just refund the buyer.

You might look to see if wigs are an approved item for returns based on the sanitary issues associated with them?

Good Luck Selling!

[jason_incognito]

You want to take it back. 

When it hits the point, eBay will tell her to return it. They will charge you for the return postage and ding you for not "taking care of the customer"

At no point will eBay look at any pictures, yours or hers.

When you get it back and have lost the money, you can try to dispute the return based on what she sent back. And I want to emphasize the word "try"

[momofgreatdogs]

I called eBay customer service because the buyer mentioned in the return request that she had washed and conditioned the wig and had been brushing it. You are not supposed to ever use a brush on synthetic hair, plus you have to be extra cautious and gentle with hair products, even products designed for wigs. The guy I spoke to said to accept the return and when I get the item back to appeal the refund to the buyer based on her statement that she had altered the item, because what she's doing is the same as if she were trying to return clothes she's washed and dried.  Maybe that explains why the wig in the picture doesn't look like the one I shipped.....who knows what all she's used on it or how hard she's brushed it?  I'm expecting she's either going to switch out the item or return an item that is damaged. I will take the proper steps to try and keep them from giving her a refund, but I don't have high hopes that eBay will side with the seller. If they do it will be because of her own admission though, which serves her right.

[amybethshouse]

Before you accept the return, try to call CS back and get a different rep. It used to be that if a buyer altered an item, that Ebay would close the return in your favor. Maybe this has changed? Other posters here are more experienced in returns than I am, so wait and see what other advise you get here.

Good luck with this!

[slati_2013]

At first glance since she already left you negative feedback, you feel you have nothing to lose, but if you escalate this case and lose, it will be a defect. I can tell you right now what eBay will tell you; "accept the return. If the item is not in the condition it was when you sent it, ask eBay to step in". 

Unfortunately based on the facts you have laid out, you will probably lose this case. That is because eBay has tilted the return process totally in favor of the buyer. A seller has no choice but to accept the return and hope for the best.

I recently got a return back. The smell of cigarette smoke was so overwhelming, I had to take the box out of the house to put in the garbage bin outside. I did not bother filing a claim. I just refunded the buyer, blocked him and move on. 

[tunicaslot]

As of April 2018 - CS reps have been told that they are not to get involved in return cases as far as deciding who's being truthful and who isn't. You will be told to accept the return. Ebay will issue your buyer a shipping label that will be charged to you and the buyer will send the item back. Unless you offer free returns - which I'm assuming you don't - you will have to refund the buyer in full once you receive the item back. After you've refunded - you can call Ebay and present your case but the best you can hope for - we've seen here - is for Ebay to credit you the amt of the return shipping label.